WHO School of International Nonproprietary Names (SoINN) – AMSE Newsletter – 2024 – No. 8
Dear friends and colleagues, dear members of AMSE,
I am writing to introduce you to the WHO School of International Nonproprietary Names (SoINN), a virtual institution dedicated to advancing the safe and effective use of medicines.
https://extranet.who.int/soinn/
e mission of SoINN is to educate health professionals, students, academia, patients, regulators and the pharmaceutical industry on International Nonproprietary Names (INNs), which serve as a universal language for identifying pharmaceutical substances worldwide. The use of INNs in prescribing practices enhances patient safety, promotes rational drug use, and improves access to medicines globally.
The School of INNs plays a crucial role in ensuring clarity and consistency in the naming of medicine, thereby facilitating communication between healthcare professionals and patients. By advocating for internationally nonproprietary names endorsed by the WHO INN programme, we support patient safety, pharmacovigilance efforts, and the exchange of medical information across borders.
It´s mission is to work with stakeholders around the world to promote the use of easily recognizable names for active substances in pharmaceutical products, adhering to WHO guidelines. Through education, outreach, and collaboration, we aim to raise awareness of nonproprietary naming practices and promote adherence to established standards within the pharmaceutical industry.
As President of AMSE, I invite your medical school to partner with us in this important WHO initiative to promote the adoption of International Nonproprietary Names as the preferred terminology for pharmaceutical substances. Together, we can facilitate that patients can use a global language to identify their medicine, while also promoting generic prescribing and improving global access to medicines.
From Berlin,
Harm Peters
Prof. Harm Peters, MD, MHPE
AMSE President
Mühlenstrasse 8a
D-14167 Berlin, Germany
Email: president@amse-med-eu